Thistle has been in a lot of pain lately. I got tramadol to add to her cocktail of drugs. Which meant I could back off the prednisone from 8 mg to 6mg, but she's still on high doses.

Today when I got home from work Thistle was walking slowly and limping. She is walking with her left hind foot curled under. She is aware that she's having trouble walking, but doesn't seem to know that the foot is not placed correctly. She's doesn't seem able to feel when I squeeze either left paw (front and rear).

I feel awful for her.

Kate H

27th March 2013, 11:09 PM

Loss of nerve feeling in legs and feet is a common symptom of CM/SM. If you turn Thistle's paw under and she doesn't immediately right it, it means she has lost some sensation. Oliver has a similar problem in his right front leg, although it seems to come and go - it was bad a few years ago (one of his earliest symptoms was stumbling when walking up the pavement kerb) and then got much better; now he is limping, but the nerves seem to be OK. You're always having to run to keep up with SM symptoms - the nasty disease seems to invent a new one every day! But you feel angry that you can't do much to help, and so sad for our little dogs.

Kate, Oliver and Aled

MomObvious

28th March 2013, 01:05 AM

OH man! I was just thinking of PMing you asking about her. I hope you can figure out the right cocktail for her. It has to be very hard on all of you. Mr. Monster had a simply tummy ache last night (he was crying ouch ouch ouch- until he threw up) I felt so helpless to comfort him and that lasted 2 hours.......:hug:

Soushiruiuma

28th March 2013, 10:44 AM

I wanted to update, today Thistle's leg is quite swollen. I was trying to feel if there was something in it, or a place it seemed injured. I've been all through my apartment and don't see anywhere she could have caught it on.

But on the inside of the thigh, running the whole way down her vein is black and kind of crunchy feeling. There was a small spot that I thought might be a thorn that had lodged in the skin (during a walk). But I got in and it was just a little dried blood. She didn't bleed when I removed that.

Is this a side effect from medication? A spider bite?

Karlin

28th March 2013, 12:27 PM

I'd have that looked at by a vet. Pretty sure this is not SM related -- never heard of swelling etc. I'd be pretty concerned about that black line running through a vein.

Margaret C

28th March 2013, 02:38 PM

I would agree it needs checking out by a vet. Sounds like an infection.